Light source device, surface inspecting apparatus using the device, and method for calibrating surface inspecting apparatus using the device

Abstract

A surface inspecting apparatus can inspect a smaller defect by using a PSL of a smaller particle size. However, the particle size of the PSL is restricted. In the conventional surface inspecting apparatus, therefore, no consideration has been taken as to how to inspect the defect of such a small particle size as is not set in the PSL which will be needed in the near future in an inspection of a semiconductor manufacturing step. The invention has a light source device for generating light which simulated at least one of a wavelength, a light intensity, a time-dependent change of the light intensity, and a polarization of light which was scattered, diffracted, or reflected by an inspection object, and the light is inputted to a photodetector of the surface inspecting apparatus. The smaller defect can be inspected.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An inspecting apparatus comprising:
 a first illumination system configured to supply a sample to be inspected with light; 
 a detection system configured to detect light from the sample to be inspected; 
 a second illumination system configured to supply the detection system with simulated light, and configured to not supply simulated light to the sample, 
 wherein the simulated light defines a time property of light from a standard sample of a predetermined size; and 
 a processing system configured to acquire a function for translating a detection result of the detection system by illumination of the first illumination system into a size of a defect on the basis of a detection result in which the detection system detects the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes a pulse component configured to correspond to the predetermined size of the standard sample. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes light in a Rayleigh scattering region. 
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to a Mie scattering region. 
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component configured to correspond to a surface condition of sample to be inspected. 
 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an emitter configured for generating the simulated light; 
 a pulse current supplying system configured for supplying the emitter with pulse current; 
 a continuous current supplying system configured for supplying the emitter with continuous current; and 
 a detector configured to detect a part of the light from the emitter, 
 wherein at least one of the pulse current supplying system and the continuous current supplying system is configured to supply the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a movable dimmer arranged in optical path of the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a processing system configured to acquire a function for translating a detection result of the detection system into a size of a defect on the basis of a detection result that the detection system detects the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes light in a Rayleigh scattering region. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to a Mie scattering region. 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component configured to correspond to a surface condition of the sample. 
 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an emitter configured to generate the simulated light; 
 a pulse current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with pulse current; 
 a continuous current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with continuous current; 
 a detector configured to detect a part of the light from the emitter, 
 wherein at least one of the pulse current supplying system and the continuous current supplying system is configured to supply the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a movable dimmer arranged in optical path of the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processing system configured to acquire a function for translating a detection result of the detection system into a size of a defect on the basis of a detection result that the detection system detects the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       15. An inspecting apparatus comprising:
 a first illumination system configured to supply a sample to be inspected with light; 
 a detection system configured to detect light from the sample to be inspected; 
 a second illumination system configured to supply the detection system with simulated light of a sample, and configured to not supply simulated light to the sample, 
 wherein the simulated light defines a time property of light from a standard sample of a predetermined size; and 
 a processing system configured to acquire a function for translating a detection result of the detection system by illumination of the first illumination system into a size of a defect on the basis of a detection result in which the detection system detects the simulated light. 
 
     
     
       16. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the simulated light includes a pulse component configured to correspond to the predetermined size of the standard sample. 
     
     
       17. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the simulated light includes light in a Rayleigh scattering region. 
     
     
       18. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to Mie scattering region. 
     
     
       19. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component corresponding to a surface condition of the sample to be inspected. 
     
     
       20. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the second illumination system includes:
 an emitter configured to generate the simulated light; 
 a pulse current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with a pulse current; 
 a continuous current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with a continuous current; 
 a detector configured to detect a part of the simulated light from the emitter, 
 wherein at least one of the pulse current supplying system and the continuous current supplying system supplies the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that a detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       21. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the second illumination system includes a movable dimmer which is arranged in an optical path of the second illumination system. 
     
     
       22. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the simulated light includes light in the Rayleigh scattering region. 
     
     
       23. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to a Mie scattering region. 
     
     
       24. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component corresponding to a surface condition of the sample to be inspected. 
     
     
       25. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the second illumination system includes:
 an emitter configured to generate the light; 
 a pulse current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with a pulse current; 
 a continuous current supplying system configured to supply the emitter with a continuous current; 
 a detector configured to detect a part of the light from the emitter, 
 wherein at least one of the pulse current supplying system and the continuous current supplying system supplies the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that a detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       26. The inspection apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the second illumination system includes a movable dimmer which is arranged in an optical path of the second illumination system. 
     
     
       27. A method for adjusting an inspecting apparatus comprising:
 supplying a sample to be inspected with light from a first illumination system; 
 detecting light from the sample to be inspected with a detection system; 
 supplying the detection system with simulated light with a second illumination system, wherein the simulated light is not supplied to the sample, 
 wherein the simulated light defines a time property of light from a standard sample which has a predetermined size; and 
 acquiring a function for translating a detection result of the detection system by illumination of the first illumination system into a size of a defect on the basis of a detection result in which the detection system detects the simulated light with a processing system. 
 
     
     
       28. The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the simulated light includes a pulse component configured to correspond to the predetermined size of the standard sample. 
     
     
       29. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the simulated light includes light in a Rayleigh scattering region. 
     
     
       30. The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to a Mie scattering region. 
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component configured to correspond to a surface condition of the sample to be inspected. 
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 31 , further including the steps of:
 generating the simulated light with an emitter which is part of the second illumination system, 
 supplying the emitter with a pulse current with a pulse current supplying system, 
 supplying the emitter with a continuous current with a continuous current supplying system, 
 detecting a part of the simulated light from the emitter with a detector, and 
 supplying the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that a detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the second illumination system includes a movable dimmer which is arranged in an optical path of the second illumination system. 
     
     
       34. The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the simulated light includes light in the Rayleigh scattering region. 
     
     
       35. The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the simulated light includes light from the Rayleigh scattering region to a Mie scattering region. 
     
     
       36. The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the simulated light includes a continuous component corresponding to a surface condition of sample to be inspected. 
     
     
       37. The method according to  claim 27 , further including the steps of:
 generating the simulated light with an emitter which is part of the second illumination system, 
 supplying the emitter with a pulse current with a pulse current supplying system, 
 supplying the emitter with a continuous current with a continuous current supplying system, 
 detecting a part of the simulated light from the emitter with a detector, and 
 supplying the emitter with at least one of the pulse current and the continuous current so as that a detection result of the detector is substantially constant. 
 
     
     
       38. The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the second illumination system includes a movable dimmer arranged in an optical path of the second illumination system.